Pakistan has rejected inclusion into ‘Child Soldiers Prevention Act (CSPA) List’ by United States.
In a statement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) has slammed US for including Pakistan in CSPA list published under a domestic U.S. legislation – in the U.S. State Department’s Annual Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report 2021.
Pakistan does not support any non-state armed group, nor any entity recruiting or using child soldiers, reiterated MoFA.
Stressing upon country’s efforts in fighting non-state armed groups including terrorist entities are well recognized, Pakistan has argued that its inclusion in the ‘CSPA List’ depicts a factual error and lack of understanding.
No State institution was consulted by the U.S. prior to the publication of the report. Nor were any details provided of the basis on which the conclusion was reached, added the MoFA press-release.
Pakistan has also reiterated its to fighting the issue of Trafficking in Persons both at the national and international levels and that the country has taken a range of legislative and administrative actions in that regard during the last one year, including the approval of Rules under the domestic Trafficking in Persons and Smuggling of Migrants Acts,
Furthermore, the National Action Plan 2021-25 prepared jointly by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and enhancement of capacity building and inter-agency cooperation of Law Enforcement Agencies involved in anti-human smuggling.
Pakistan has been voluntarily submitting information for the TIP Report to the U.S. Government since 2007 and has actively worked on implementing the practicable recommendations of these reports.
Pakistan calls upon the authorities concerned in the United States to review the baseless assertions made in the TIP Report, especially with regard to the unwarranted inclusion of Pakistan in the ‘CSPA List.’ Pakistan also expects the sharing of “credible information” on cases involving Trafficking in Persons as well as on allegations pertaining to support to armed groups using child soldiers.
Pakistan’s views and perspective on the subject have been conveyed to the U.S. side. Pakistan would continue to remain engaged with the U.S. Government through bilateral channels for constructive dialogue on all issues of mutual interest.
The development comes as Pakistan and Turkey have been added into CSPA 2021 List by US State Department.
The list defines ‘child soldier’ as ‘those compulsorily recruited into governmental armed forces, police, or other security forces are also included as are those under 15 years of age who have been voluntarily recruited into governmental armed forces, police or other security forces’.
Any person under 18 years of age who has been recruited or used in hostilities by armed forces distinct from the armed forces of a state is also considered a child soldier.
The term ‘child soldier’ is also applied to a person who is serving in any capacity, including in a support role, such as a ‘cook, porter, messenger, medic, guard, or sex slave’.
The 2021 CSPA list includes governments of the following countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria, Turkey, Venezuela and Yemen.
